“Sir, with all due respect, it’s just too small for me. I can’t comfortably get a cheek weld on it and it feels like I’m trying to use a pistol as a rifle,” Lamb said. “You made an excellent decision in the round, sir, and the platform is more than sound, it’s just too uncomfortable for me to get used to. My arms are too long and my neck simply doesn’t bend right to get a proper cheek weld. I’ve tried using three different optics on it and I just can’t get it.” Lamb looked almost distraught over it.
Matt nodded his head. He looked around at the other new men and asked, “Any more of you having trouble adjusting to the new weaponry?” Robert Mueller and Gus Tracy both raised their hands. Matt nodded his head again and looked at the ground. “And all of you are wanting to switch to the M4?”
The two men exchanged glances. Tracy shrugged. “I might could make the SCAR work, sir, but the M4 is more comfortable. It was my go-to weapon.”
“All right,” Matt said. “First thing tomorrow go to Ms. Youngblood and put in a requisition for new M4s. Make sure we order enough hi-capacity magazines for you boys to both train with and for field use.” Matt went back to loading his magazines for use on the range. “And make sure the armory knows that we’ll have three squad members switching primary weapons. He’s going to need to keep spare parts on hand, and probably spare weapons.” Matt put his ear protection back on and took aim. “You boys are hell on weaponry in the field, and I damn sure don’t want to end up short on equipment when the shit hits the fan.”
He emptied his weapon into the target and dropped his magazine to the floor, sliding a new one in as the first one fell out and, releasing the slide forward, he was back on target in the blink of an eye and shooting the eyes out of his target. When that magazine was empty, he dropped it and blew the smoke from his Beretta. “I’m no squad member, but the old man can still hold his own.”
Robert Mueller cracked a smile, “I’d let you cover my six, sir.” With the nod of his head at the decimated target he added, “Any damned day.”
*****
Jack was still in shock from what Nadia had told him. She remained cuddled next to him and rubbing his hands, calming him. His world had been turned upside down in a matter of moments. He literally went from being relieved that he wasn’t a vampire to finding out that he was a werewolf, and never had a clue.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Positive.”
“How?” he stammered. “I mean, how can you be sure? And how are the little black pills the key?”
“The black pills are wolf’s bane. They prevent you from making the shift if you take it regularly. This is why you need to start taking it again. The full moon is close, and we cannot take chances. You must start taking it again.”
Jack’s mind was reeling. Too large of a realization and too much information at one time, and to top it off, Nadia tells him that she is a werewolf as well? Or did he hear her wrong?? “And you’re a wolf as well?”
“Yes, I too, am a wolf.”
“And this is how you know so much?”
“No,” she answered, smiling at him, cuddling closer. “Many of the things I’ve learned…I’ve only recently learned. I’m a natural wolf. My parents were natural born wolves as well. I’ve never known anything but being a wolf.”
“So, you can shift at will like Rufus was telling me?”
“Yes. And as long as it is not the full moon, I control the wolf.”
“But when the moon is full, you shift whether you want to or not, and then the wolf controls you,” he stated.
“Yes.”
“And this will happen to me?”
“No,” she said sternly. “We will keep you taking the bane and you will not shift. You will not like the shift, Jack. The wolf will always have control of you, and never you having control of the wolf. You must keep taking the bane.”
“What if I don’t want to?” he asked, studying her face closely.
“Why would you say such a thing, Jack? Being the wolf is not an enjoyable thing. The wolf will always struggle with your humanity, struggling to dominate who you are. Its aggression will manifest in your daily life.” She pulled away to look him directly in the eyes. “Slowly at first. But the more you shift, and the more the wolf becomes free, the more it will try to steal your life during the times it cannot be free.”
“Okay, so I go back to taking the bane—”
“No! It does not work that way, Jack.” She was struggling to find the right words. She needed to make him understand that once you crossed the threshold, there was no going back. “Once you make the initial shift, you can never stop it again. No matter how much bane you take, no matter what you do, or whose help you seek, you will never be free of the wolf or the full moon’s power. The shift will take you and you will take the wolf’s form.”
“Forever?”
“Forever,” she said. “There will be no going back. Even if you lock yourself away as I do on the full moon, even in the darkest of dungeons, the deepest of caves, the moon’s pull will transition you.”
Jack thought about what she said. He pulled her closer to him and he felt her shiver against him. He nodded and wrapped his arms around her. “Okay,” he said, “I’ll start taking the bane if it will make you happy.”
She nodded and he could hear her sniffle. He didn’t know why it was so important to her, but it was. He held her like that for a while and once in a while he could feel her shoulders tremble and he imagined she was trying not to cry.
“Nadia, I was just thinking about something.”
“Yes, Jack?” she said, wiping her face.
“If you shift before the full moon, you keep control, right?”
“Yes.”
“Is there a limit on how long you can keep that form?”
Nadia thought for a moment and then answered, “No. I suppose that if we chose, we could live our lives as a wolf and never shift back to human.”
“So, if a natural born wolf shifted when it wasn’t a full moon, and stayed that way…what happens during a full moon if they stay a wolf?” he asked, looking down at her.
Slowly she pulled away from him, thinking to herself. “I do not know, Jack. To my knowledge, nobody has ever tried what you suggest.”
“So we don’t know if a natural wolf would still keep control and have full control of their mind if they shifted prior to the full moon?”
“No. We do not.”
“How long until the full moon?” he asked her, a grin spreading across his face.
*****
Finally! Franklin thought as he took his seat on the commercial flight to Oklahoma City. The commercial flight gave him the opportunity to fly into that nasty state unannounced where he could rent a car and hit the base at the last minute. Mitchell wouldn’t know what hit him. Franklin would call it an impromptu meeting. He’d claim that he had a layover in this god-forsaken state and thought he’d drop by and check in on his pet project. He’d paint on an unfelt smile and pretend that everything was hunky-fucking-dory and go about as if everything was just fine. But the whole time, he’d be looking for any and every opportunity to get access to a secure computer and plug in the little USB device the hacker had delivered to him. The little device looked harmless enough, but even Franklin knew that looks were deceiving. The little electronic doo-dad would be the Monster Squad’s undoing.
As the plane lifted off and took to the skies, the fasten seat belt sign went off and the pilot announced that it was okay for them to get up and stretch their legs about the passenger compartment. First Class was much roomier and the seating more comfortable, so the need to get up wasn’t really necessary. Franklin did unfasten his seat belt, though, and when the flight attendant came by, he lifted his arm.
“Stewardess, I’d like a Jack and Coke, please.”
The flight attendant made an unkind face at the un-PC term, but she brought him the little bottle of Jack Daniels and a can of Coke with a plastic cup filled with ice. Franklin didn’t
bother with a ‘thank you’ or a ‘kiss my ass’, he simply popped the tops on both and began mixing. He smiled to himself when he thought of the chain of events that he hoped to unfold.
Plant the device, download the data, get it to the hacker, make the Monster Squad known to the rest of the world, and make it look like they released the information themselves. Paint them to be money wasting military show-offs and then disown them all. Ruin them, publicly, politically, and in the courts of the media.
Ah, it felt like a perfect plan. Nothing short of an act of god could stop him now.
The plane chose that exact moment to hit a small bit of turbulence, and Franklin spilled his drink in his lap. Despite the cold, the spilled drink made it look at as though he had wet himself. And it smelled of cheap alcohol. Just what he needed. He took the small cocktail napkin and dabbed at the spill on his trousers, then stood and headed to the restroom to clean the mess up better. It was going to take more than a speed bump in the sky to deter Senator Leslie Franklin.
14
“Seriously?” Popo asked. “Apollo and Sanchez?”
“That’s what I’m hearing, man,” Dom said. “Heard it from one of the newbies. Said they was getting’ bizzay in the showers.”
Donovan was leaning against his bunk listening to the gossip. “I don’t buy it,” he said, leaning down and picking up the latest copy of Guns & Ammo. “Apollo wouldn’t go for another team mate.”
“He might if it was you, bitch!” Dom said, punching Donnie in the arm, laughing.
Donovan smiled and shook his head. “Seriously, Dom. Listen to yourself.”
“Fuck you, man. Have you really looked at that little mamasita?” he said. “She’s smokin’ hot!”
“Yes, I’ve seen her. And yes, she is…very attractive,” Donnie admitted. “But, this is Apollo. You know how strict he is about everything.”
Popo spoke up, “And I’ve seen how protective he is about her, too.” He hooked his chin toward the chow hall. “When she steps in the shower, his chest grows six inches. When she’s in the room, he gets two inches taller.”
“And when she’s in the room, your nuts shrivel up!” Dom said, slapping at Popo’s back.
“Okay, okay, give it a break,” Donnie said. He thought a minute before adding, “I’ll just ask him.”
The other two just stared at him. “You can’t do that!” Popo said.
“No way, man, he’ll kill you!” Dom said.
“Why?” Donnie said. “We’re grown men.”
“Well…because,” Dom replied.
“Watch me.” Donnie walked toward the chow hall and entered through the barracks doors. He scanned the room and found Apollo and Sanchez eating together at a table, laughing at something that he hadn’t heard. Donnie walked up and joined them. They both turned to him, smiles still on their faces.
“What’s up, you two? Something funny?” he asked.
“Sanchez was telling me about the time she was on patrol and these two meth heads decided to—”
“Are you two a couple now?” Donnie interrupted.
“What?” Sanchez asked.
Apollo just stared.
“Sorry, but there are rumors going around about you two, and rather than listen to grown men gossip like a bunch of blue haired old ladies, I thought I’d just ask you.” Donnie said, straight faced.
“What business is it of yours?” Apollo asked.
“Officially? None. None whatsoever,” Donnie said. “Unofficially?” He glanced around the room, then turned to both of them, “I think it’s cool as hell if the two of you are hooking up.” That brought shocked looks from the both of them. “I like the hell out of both of you, consider you both my friends, and would be happier than a hungry hound in a bone factory if two of my friends found something worth fighting for in a world as shitty as the one we live in.”
Apollo and Maria looked at each other and busted out laughing. Apollo turned to Donnie. “A hound in a bone factory?”
He grinned, “A perv in a porn shop?” His smile got wider. “Wait! A hungry baby in a strip club?”
Sanchez elbowed him in the ribs. “Okay, stop it! Good grief, your puns are horrible!” She and Apollo looked at each other for a moment then shrugged. Finally Apollo nodded. Sanchez turned to Donnie, “Yeah, we’re ‘seeing’ each other. Sort of. Nothing really official, but yes.”
Donnie nodded. “Okay. Cool. I can dig it.”
Apollo smiled. “So we have your approval, dad?”
“I suppose, but if you’re gonna drill the shit out of her, we have to find you a more private place than the showers.” Donnie grinned. “I mean, for chrissakes, I wash myself in there!”
Apollo tried to stab his hand with a fork, but Donnie was quicker than he looked…even laughing. Sanchez grabbed his shirt, “Hey! Who ratted us out? Ing?”
“Oh, hell…everybody knows,” Donnie said.
Sanchez and Apollo exchanged looks. “The colonel?” he asked.
Donnie shrugged. “I dunno about admin, but the rest of the squads know.” He grinned again. “But I wouldn’t worry about it. It gives them something else to talk about.” He got up to leave again, then turned around, “Might make shower time a little more interesting, though.”
*****
Surprised that the airlines didn’t lose his luggage, Franklin hurriedly rented a car and departed the airport. The girl at the rental counter did her best to sell him rental insurance, but Franklin wasn’t born yesterday. He knew that rental insurance was a scam and he’d have no part of it.
He made his way up I-44 to I-40 and across the construction zones to the downtown area. Traffic was heavy, especially in the construction areas, and he was not surprised at the sheer number of pickup trucks and SUVs on the roads in Oklahoma. Don’t these people realize that they’re destroying the planet with their greenhouse gas emissions? Couldn’t they drive a Prius or an electric car? Hell, no faster than the traffic is moving, they could walk! Franklin reached over and turned up the air conditioner on the Lincoln Town Car’s dash. It was ungodly humid in this shithole state. He loosened his tie so that he could breathe a little easier.
He glanced at his watch, and missed his Rolex. He had dropped it at the jewelers for repairs and he had to wear a Patek Phillipe that his wife had given them on their 20th anniversary. It was a beautiful watch and was probably more expensive than the Rolex, but the Rolex was more well-known to even common people. He remembered the time difference between Oklahoma and D.C. and then looked at the clock on the dash. It was lunchtime. That helped explain some of the traffic. It also meant that there was a chance that Mitchell wouldn’t be at the hangar. Franklin smiled to himself as he continued to force his way through the traffic.
He made his way through Oklahoma City proper, through Del City and to Midwest City, which, to Franklin, was just one big suburb of Oklahoma City. You couldn’t tell where one ended and the other started. Too many rednecks inbreeding in too small of an area, he thought. When he reached the outlying fences of the Air Force base, he began to slow the car and watch for the gates. He debated on coming in the back way, but that would surely get a call to Mitchell. If he came in the front gate, he could use his Government ID and perhaps the gate guard would not know who or why he was there and simply allow him through. Weighing his options, Franklin decided to chance going through the front gates.
As he approached the main gate, he went into politician mode, plastering on his best fake smile and flashing his governmental identification. The gate guard waved him up to the guard shack and stopped him. Franklin rolled down the window of the car, “I’m Senator Franklin. Had a little layover here in your fine state and thought I’d do a little checking on some pet projects I oversee back in D.C.” The guard looked at Franklin’s identification and without expression or explanation, waved the senator’s car off the side to the Pass & ID building.
“You’ll have to get a visitor’s pass, sir.” Then the guard looked up for the next car.
; “But son, I’m a United States Senator—” Franklin protested.
The guard looked down at Franklin and sternly stated, “Sir, I don’t care if you are God, Himself, unless you have a valid military ID or other base commander approved form of identification, you will have to go to Pass & ID and get a visitor’s pass. Thank you and have a nice day. Sir.”
Franklin dropped his head in defeat. He knew better than to argue with a base cop. A ‘rent a cop’ gate guard at that. I’m sure he’d like nothing more than to pull his weapon and shoot me right here for causing a scene, the gun-happy little bastard. Why else would anybody join a military organization?! Probably get a medal for shooting a terrorist attempt at the gate if I argued with him, Franklin argued in his mind as he pulled the vehicle over to the small building on the right of the gate.
Franklin went into the building to get his temporary visitor’s pass only to find a bureaucratic nightmare. He had to show ID to get the visitor’s pass, but in order to take the vehicle on base, he had to show registration, proof of insurance and that the tag was up to date. It didn’t matter that it was a rental. After numerous trips back and forth to the vehicle to look for paperwork, he ended up calling the rental company and having them fax the rental agreement (he had forgotten to take his copy with him) to the Pass & ID building. Although the lady behind the counter wasn’t hateful with him, Franklin could tell that she not being particularly helpful. It took him over an hour and a half to get the single slip of paper to place on the dash with the date written on it giving him permission to enter the base and a temporary base pass.
Whenever he had his secretary set up his coming to the base, all of this was taken care of ahead of time. A car was waiting for them and they simply drove through a gate, but try to pull a surprise visit and…dammit!
Mitchell got the call as soon as Franklin entered the building and ‘Debbie’ the lady behind the counter at Pass & Id, made things as interesting as she could for the good senator. She informed Mitchell herself as soon as Franklin left. Matt did his best to appear surprised when Franklin came off the elevator and entered the underground facilities.
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